


The Prideful and Prejudiced

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Alternate Canon, Banter, Drama, F/M, Gift Fic, Non-Canon Pairing, One Shot, Romance, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-23
Updated: 2010-06-23
Packaged: 2017-10-10 06:11:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/96475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It seems everyone in the Wizarding World has marriage on their mind, from the rich city men to the young country girls. Blaise Zabini has his eye on a special woman, while Draco can't stand the idea of marriage. Will a dance change his opinion, or will Draco stand resolved in his stubborn feelings?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prideful and Prejudiced

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starstruck127](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=starstruck127).



"Oh come now Draco, you'll have fun I promise. They will be lots of women for you to choose from." Blaise swirled his Firewhiskey in his glass, leaning back on the black leather sofa in the lounge of Malfoy Manor.

"Blaise, my dear fellow, once more you're wrong. It's the country, and therefore there will be lots of girls to choose from. You know as well as I do that they marry off the pureblood women as soon as they can these days." Draco placed a book back on the shelf, and then picked up another, flipping through the pages before putting that book back as well.

"True, my good man, however-" Blaise stood up, clasping his hand around Draco's shoulder and leaning close. "Most of them want to marry into money. And guess what you are mate? Pure gold!" Blaise laughed.

Draco scoffed. "Well I'm glad that women will only want to marry me because of my monetary value. Surely, they'll all be falling in my arms at the party, all of them ditzy with foolish notions of marriage and . . " Draco shudders. " . . . a family."

Blaise laughs. "You amuse me to no end. I hope that one day you fall in love with a girl who is just as difficult as you are acting right now. Get a taste of your own medicine."

"But why do you want to go to this party so bad anyway, Blaise?" Draco sat in his ornately carved chair with an emerald green cushion. "Absolutely no one we know are going to be there, and I highly doubt that these country folk know anything about having a party."

Blaise started humming, staring intently at his glass. Draco groaned.

"Loony! That's the reason! Oh for Merlin's sake Blaise, you're still going on about her?"

"Ever since I've laid eyes on her Draco, she's been the only woman in my sights. I cannot imagine marrying any other girl! She's just quite lovely."

"She spends an awful amount of her time with that Mudblood loving Weasley though." Draco spat.

Blaise narrowed his eyes. "The war is over, Malfoy, the Dark Lord gone. You know that as well as I do, and I will not have you getting in the way of my upcoming nuptials."

Draco smirked. "Have you even talked to the poor girl yet?"

Blaise shrugged, mumbling, "Not really."

Draco stood up abruptly, his black cloak billowing behind him as he walked out of the room.

"Where are you going Draco?"

"Where do you think Blaise? I am going to get ready for this silly party of yours. For the sake of your happiness and not mine. You owe me one. A large one, I believe. I'm quite in the mood for a new broomstick."

Blaise bounded out of his chair and after Draco. "It's done! Anything you want my good man! Oh, you are a jolly good fellow! Shall I prepare the floo?"

"Blaise you better prepare yourself first. You'll scare the poor girl off before you even open your mouth. However, I am talking about Luna Lovegood. Who knows, who knows?"

Blaise laughed. "A happy night indeed!"

~

 

"This is the worst night of my life!"

Ginny sighed. It was only the sixth time that night that Lavender had exclaimed such a remark and Ginny had begun to lost track why.

"Why isn't your brother coming? Oh, I have to see him again Ginny! He is the man I want to marry!"

Parvati Patil waked by and stuck her head in through the door of their room. "Lavender, dear, at this point, I'll marry any man! Why, they all seem desperate to remain bachelors for the rest of their lives!"

"But of course they won't, you know." Luna stepped out of the bathroom, her blond hair wet from the shower, a pink towel wrapped around her lithe body. "Someone needs to do their laundry. They can never figure out such simple tasks."

Ginny giggled. "I can only imagine young master Zabini holding his shirt in one hand, and a bar of soap in the other, begging on his knees, 'Please Luna, wash my shirt! I'll love you forever!'"

At this, Luna blushed, shifting through the many dresses hanging on the rack.

"Oh!" Lavender whined, her hands helplessly flailing behind her at the zipper on her dress. "Luna always get to have the fun, while I'm left in such misery. Rotten, horrid dress!" She flopped her arms to her sides. Ginny came up behind her, and zipped the dress up in a flash.

"My dear Lavender, don't you worry. They'll be plenty of other dances. Plus, if you're into red heads, a few of my other brothers will be there tonight." Ginny smiled.

Lavender sighed, smiling softly back at Ginny through the mirror they both faced. "Are any of them as charming as Ronald?"

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "My brothers, charming? My poor dear, you've got the wrong family for charm!"

"Oh, Luna!"

Parvati Patil gasped, staring at the wondrous vision Luna wore. "Blaise will not be able to keep his eyes off of you tonight!"

Her dress was silky silver, so light in color that her blond hair blended in. She twirled around, her arms stretched out as she giggled.

"You see? Luna gets everything!" Lavender sulked into the bathroom to apply another layer of make-up.

"Ginny, what are you wearing?" Luna asked.

"Oh, nothing special like you. Just that black frock I wore to the dance last month." Ginny shrugged, playing with her hair.

"You will not do such a horrendous thing!" Parvati stood for a moment in thought, her hands on her hips and her brow bunched up. Suddenly her face brightened. "Be right back!" She ran out of the room.

Ginny sent Luna a worried glance. "Should I be worried?"

Luna laughed, airy and bright. "I wouldn't. She only means to help."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Parvati ran back into the room, followed by an angry looking Padma. "Parvati! I was planning to wear that tonight!"

"Oh you can part with it for one night! Ginny needs it a lot more than you do!" Parvati held the dress up to Ginny in front of the mirror. "You'll look wonderful!"

"But what am I to wear, then?" Padma tapped her foot on the ground.

"What about that blue dress Mother bought me her last trip to India?" Parvati said absentmindedly as she played with the prospective dress.

Padma's face broke into a wide smile. "Thank you thank you Parvati! I love that dress!" She skipped out the room in search of her new dress.

"Now Ginerva," Parvati smirked. "It's high time we catch you some men, don't you agree?"

~

 

"What did I tell you Blaise? Country folk have no business holding parties." Draco took a sip of his tea, his first, and visibly grimaced at the taste.

"Do you see her yet, mate?"

Draco sighed. "Blaise, are you even listening to me?"

"Hm?" Blaise continued to stare at the wide doorway at the other end of the hall.

"I said your mother is dying and she's giving all of your fortune to the Muggles."

"Jolly good. Where on earth can she be?" Blaise gave a little hop, splashing some of his tea on the wood floor.

"I can understand your desire to see her, Blaise, but this is, quite frankly, ridiculous. You are spilling this monstrous concoction they call tea onto your Italian leather shoes."

Blaise gasped. "Do you think she'll notice? Oh my goodness, I should go home and change!"

"Blaise!" Draco took hold of his shoulders. "Deep breaths, alright? You are out of control!"

Blaise stared back at him, wide-eyed, but Draco could tell he was calming by his longer breaths.

"Now I want you to stay this calm for the rest of the evening, can you do that? We do have a reputation to uphold Zabini, and I will not have you plunder it away just because you're a lovesick puppy!"

Blaise grinned. "Oh, Draco. Just you wait. I hope you fall in love soon. I need some good amusement. I do agree though, the country is a bit boring."

"Not anymore." Draco mumbled, nodding his head to the doorway.

Blaise spun around. "Good Gods!"

Luna glided in, Ginny on her arm, as they greeted the party's hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Patil.

"For Merlin's sake, " Draco scoffed. " Weaslette looks like a Christmas tree."

"She looks lovely, and you know it. I will not have you insulting my future bridesmaids!"

"I cannot believe she that dress would look good on her!"

"Malfoy!" Blaise growled.

"Yes, fine, go accost your future wife. I'll stay here and guard the pretend tea."

Blaise straightened his back and cleared his throat before making his way toward Luna.

"He's coming this way! What do I say, Ginny?" Luna's hands shook slightly, as she struggled to find a place to put them.

"How about 'Good Evening'? I'm sure that's the way most people go about it." Ginny smiled encouragingly at her friend. "Have fun tonight, okay?"

Luna again blushed, her hands nervously smoothing her hair behind her ears.

"Luna!" Lavender hissed. "Why on earth are you wearing those ridiculous earrings! Radishes are not appropriate for an evening party!"

"I think they're lovely," a deep voice said behind them.

Luna's eyes went wide for a minute before she smiled graciously and turned to greet the dark handsome man behind her.

"Good morning!" she said cheerfully.

Blaise chuckled, taking her left hand and kissing it. "Has time traveled so fast already? Last I checked, it was still evening."

"Oh dear." Luna mumbled, her hands coming up to fuss with her hair again, but Blaise grasped them firmly.

"For you Luna, I'd stop time right this moment, just so I could keep this beautiful image of you forever." Blaise whispered softly into her hair, as they began to sway to the music.

Ginny took this as her cue to leave the couple alone, wandering instead toward the refreshment table.

"Hello Ginny!" an annoyingly cheerful voice rang from behind her.

Ginny groaned inwardly, but managed to plaster a smile on her face. "Seamus! What a wonderful surprise! Who knew you'd show up at such a party?"

Seamus blushed, shrugging. "Me mum says I need to get out more. Says I need to find a good lass to carry on the Finnegan line." He stepped closer to her, placing his arm around her waist, grabbing her hand with his other arm. "A dance, my fine lady?"

"A dance? Well who knew Weasels could dance? I certainly did not."

Ginny stepped back, grateful for the intrusion, but not for the intruder. "And who knew Malfoys stooped so low as to venture into a country dance? Does the great wizard really have nowhere else to go? How sad."

Draco frowned. "I'm not here of my own accord, thank you. I'm here because my friend was stupid enough to fall in love with Loony over there and I'm stuck here because of it."

Ginny smirked. "The great Draco Malfoy doesn't know how to say no?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I happen to believe that sticking by your friends even if you think they are making a crazy decision is more important than one's own needs and wants."

"You wouldn't know anything about standing by friends, you coward!" Ginny shouted angrily.

The hall went deadly quiet for a moment, broken by the young lovebird's laughter in the middle of the dance floor, utterly oblivious of their surroundings.

Draco leaned forward, his brows raised. "You forget we are not at war anymore, Ginny. There's no reason to hate me now."

"I have every reason to hate you, you despicable ferret!"

Draco laughed, cold and deep. "Resorting to childish name calling? I thought you were better than that Ginny Weasley. But I guess I thought wrong." He bowed, never breaking eye contact. "Good evening, Miss Weasley. Enjoy your dance with Mr. Finnegan." He gave her one last smirk before he softly walked out of the dance hall.

Seamus beamed while Ginny fumed. "Shall we give it another go, love?"

"Oh sod off, you ridiculous boy!" She ran less gracefully as Draco out of the hall and outside into the rain. Taking off her heels, she began to walk.

"Ginerva!"

She sighed. Just what she needed!

Charlie ran up beside her, an umbrella in one hand, and his jacket in another. "You'll get sick, dear sister, and I don't think Mother would like me very much if I let that happen."

Ginny took the jacket wordlessly, slipping it on over her shoulders.

Charlie sighed, flicking a raindrop off his nose. "Do I want to know what that was about?"

Ginny shook her head angrily. "He's just another ridiculous boy trying to get into my pants as usual!"

"Um . . . " Charlie stuttered. " I wasn't talking about Seamus, Gin. But don't worry, Fred and George should be sorting him out soon."

"Poor boy. He'll be traumatized for life." Ginny giggled.

"I told them to go easy, but you know them." Charlie shrugged. "There is no controlling them."

"And as much as you boys annoy the hell out of me, I wouldn't give you up for the world." She smiled at her brother.

Charlie smiled back, then his face turned serious again. "Listen, about Draco . . ."

"I don't want to talk about it, Charlie." She turned away from him.

"He's a good guy. The Ministry cleared him of everything." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's a fine catch too."

Ginny stifled a laugh. "You're beginning to sound like Mum. Always trying to marry me off. Why doesn't she ever pressure you boys?"

Charlie grinned crookedly. "It's lovely, I have to say. I get to be a bachelor as long as I want, yet here you are, independent as can be, and Mum won't let up about finding you a husband."

"Well I'm not marrying Malfoy. It will be over my dead body."

~

 

"Over my dead body!"

Malfoy sighed, placing his head into his hands. "Mother, why can't you let it be?"

"Draco, I am an old woman. Don't deny it!" She threw up her hands in front of her face. "The winds of time have etched scars on my face, and only soon will they carve me up back into dust, where we all come from."

"Mother, have you been drinking again?"

"What? No! Honestly, Draco, just because I express my mind once in a while." Narcissa arranged the pillows on the chaise nervously.

"Can you at least answer the question, Mother? Why does it bother you that I don't want to marry?"

"Men! You never understand anything, do you! Have you thought about what I want? No, you just think about yourself, and nothing about your poor, dying mother. Oh, my nerves! Where are my smelling salts?"

Draco grabbed them from a nearby drawer and handed them to her. "Your point, Mother?"

"Grandchildren, my dear boy! Little babes to cheer up my aching bones! Goodness knows how I long for the happy laughter of a young toddler." She lay back on the chaise dramatically, her hand covering her forehead. "Such a lovely sound would bring a relief to my sufferings."

"Are you mental? The happy laughter of a toddler would bring me nothing but a headache and worse!" Draco stood abruptly and looked out the window facing the lake in the back of the Manor as a white peacock strolled by.

"Always about you! Everything is always about you!"

"DRACO!"

The booming voice came from the foyer, and Draco was hard pressed to answer the roaring call, but his mother decided to answer for him.

"In the drawing room, Blaise! Perhaps you can talk some sense into him. The silly boy is absolutely adamant about never getting married."

Blaise burst into the room, looking very winded, but happy, his shirt unbuttoned and loose around his waist, his shoes drenched in mud.

"She said yes!" he cried, raising both fists in the air.

"She did? Oh that's marvelous, Blaise, just marvelous!" Mrs. Malfoy leapt from the chaise to grab Blaise into a bone-crushing hug.

"She what? Blaise, are you out of your bloody mind? You've only just talked to her!" Draco said exasperated.

"I've talked to her before. In letters, though, not in person. Last night was the first time. Nevertheless, I have wanted to ask her to marry me for ages and she did. And we're to marry by the end of next month!" Blaise exclaimed, his last remark toward Mrs. Malfoy.

"But that's hardly enough time for the poor girl to find a dress!" Narcissa gasped.

"She's had one picked out for ages. Mrs. Weasley began making it the minute Luna told her the good news!"

Narcissa pursed her lips for a moment, the old stigmatism still there, but only fleetingly. "How lovely! I'm sure Molly will make it look lovely!"

Blaise turned questioningly toward Draco. "May I ask what went on with you and Ginny last night Draco? Luna remarked that Ginny locked herself in her room all night and still hasn't come out as of this morning! What on earth did you say to the poor girl?"

Draco turned back to the window and out at the lake. "Nothing she didn't expect."

~

 

The afternoon gave way to a robin's egg sky, hardly a cloud visible, and a soft wind rustled the autumn leaves in the trees. Draco strolled the gardens behind the Manor, hands in his pockets and a soft tune on his lips.

"Thinking of me, ferret?"

Draco smirked, glancing behind him. "You know I never think of anything else."

Ginny stepped forth from behind the fir trees, her green dress from the night before blending in with the shrubbery. "You played a good game last night."

"No better than you, my dear." He took a step toward her, but Ginny stepped backward. He gazed at her wonder.

"You could have at least tried to save me from that ridiculous Irish boy! I swear, he just doesn't know when to give up!"

"A man after my own heart, if I do say so myself." He reached forward again, and this time she didn't move, but allowed him to hold her in his arms.

"One wonders how you do it." She laughed into his chest, his fingers brushing through her hair.

He laughed softly with her. "I think it was my wonderful ability with words and smooth looks that captured you. I can still remember the phrase I said that made you fall in love with me."

Ginny scoffed. "I fell in love on my own time, ferret."

"Ah, but I didn't. My time was stolen from me in that bastard of war." Draco swayed back and forth, dancing to a tune only the two of them could hear.

"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Ginny grinned sheepishly up at him.

Draco kissed her forehead, picking her up and spinning her around. "So it was my cunning way with words, you little minx!"

"Yes, but it was on my own time!"

"Draco, where have you gone?" The tall shrubs that hid him from the happy couple muffled Blaise's voice.

Ginny shot Draco a worried glance. "Shall I hide?"

Draco suddenly looked shocked. "And miss the opportunity to see Blaise's reaction when he finds out we're engaged? I wouldn't miss that for our wedding!"

Ginny playfully punched Draco in the arm. "You annoyingly good-looking bastard! What ever shall I do with you?"

Draco smirked. "Why marry me of course."

THE END


End file.
